House of Andro
The House of Andro is a noble family of Lordaeron. They rule the County of Ravenwood, ruling directly over Ravenwood Keep and Ravenwood Village. The House of Andro currently has two vassals, which at the height of its power had three vassals. They have a long history with relations in Stromgarde, Ironforge, and Quel'Thalas Founding and Rise to Power Founding It began with Brandon Andro; a Knight that had little reputation but his fierce loyalty to the founders of Lordaeron. He was not a huge man, but rather an average one with average looks for his roots. Before him, the Andros were all red of hair, and his own hair was a fiery red. Brandon swore himself to the Menethil line, and the first Menethil King of Lordaeron gave him the sigil of a golden hawk on a black field to forever be his sigil. With his dedication, came the dedication of his family. He fathered three children with a woman brown of hair. Brandon was eventually able to afford a small home for his family with his payment as a Sworn-Sword to the Baron of Ravenwood, Lord Loddington of the House of Loddington. As Brandon died, his two male children took his place as the hawks of the family, Sir Alexander the Hawk, and Triton the Warrior, with their daughter married off to a local family. The Knight and the Warrior Triton the Warrior was Brandon Andro's firstborn son, with Sir Alexander the Hawk his second. They both began to present themselves as powerful swordsman. Both men fought bravely against Lord Loddington's enemies, be they other Houses or simple bandits. Sir Alexander was always a man who would stay in the Barony of Ravenwood. He raised a family, purchased a small house and had two daughters. Both were married off to local families in the Barony, and Sir Alexander died upon the battlefield. Triton the Warrior was a much more explorative son. He left the Barony for a short time with the permission of his liege-lord to explore the world. He travelled to the Kingdom of Stromgarde, where he befriended the Lords of Havenport. They allowed him free passage to the Dwarven Lands, to which he befriended another noble clan of Mountain Dwarves -- Clan Earthbeard. With the Earthbeards and a son of Havenport, Triton the Warrior fought against the Ice Trolls with a ferocity and skill that neither the Havenport nor the Earthbeards had evere seen. He showed bravery and gallantry upon the battlefield. As a reward for his service, the Earthbeards forged a claymore of black steel. Legend was told that the blade could never break. Triton named the blade Talon. Triton the Warrior returned to the Barony of Ravenwood to serve the House of Loddington until the House was extinguished by the House of Menethil after the Barony attempted to rebel against the Kingdom. As the Knightly House of Andro was the most senior of the Knightly Houses and swore an oath of fealty after the House of Loddington was extinguished, they Knightly House was promoted as the Barons of Ravenwood. The Count of Ravenwood While Triton was the first of the Andros to receive a a fiefdom, it was his son, Thristen Andro that expanded their power and influence. Thristen received his father's title at the age of two and twenty, and the claymore Talon was handed down to him. They had around fifty men-at-arms, ten knights, and just as many rangers. Thristen wanted more power. To the southeast of the Barony of Ravenwood were the Baronies of Woodsdale, ruled by the House of Ceyne, and Light's Crossing, ruled by the House of Atkinson. Thristen Andro began demanding they swear fealty, as they were weaker houses and Thristen even threatened war upon them if they did not bend the knee. The House of Ceyne swore an oath of fealty, effectively doubling the military power of the House of Andro, while the House of Atkinson fought against their would-be overlords. The war between the two houses was over soon after it began, with the House of Atkinson bending the knee. The Menethil King of Lordaeron at the time was a weak one, and acknowledged the House of Andro's power. They granted the that Baronies of Ravenwood, Woodsdale, and Light's Crossing be combined into the County of Ravenwood, with the House of Andro reigning over it. The Houses of Ceyne and Atkinson retained their Baron status and their seats of power. Their taxes, however, went directly to the House of Andro. Troubles and Height of Power The Landis Rebellion The subjects of Ravenwood began had a growing disdain for their overlords. The main income of Ravenwood were its forests and quarries, to which many families worked. Many of the smallfolk looked up to one family in both of these areas -- the Landis family -- who had a small power in their own right. The woodsmen of Landis and the woodcutting families made up a majority of the rangers of the House of Andro's power. It was the final straw when Thristen Andro issued a tax against the woodsmen and miners of the quarry. The Landis' gathered a small army of seventy men and attacked the growing Ravenwood Estate, killing several men-at-arms, then fled into the forest. They began a guerilla war against their former overlords. Thristen gathered his own forces and marched into the the forests to quell the rebellion quickly. His force was mainly comprised of heavy cavalry. In one swift attack, the Landis force was halved, but with the cost of most of the Andro forces. The rebellion went on for months before a truce was called. Lord Thristen caved into the demands of the Landis family. Along with that, they were made the foremen of the timber industry and the Captain of the Rangers, which would be a hereditary title. The Clarke family, who had fought alongside the Landis family, were made the foremen of the quarries and were made the Captains of the Knights and Master of Arms, both of which were also made hereditary titles, in the growing Ravenwood power. Ravenwood Keep and the Curringtons Under construction The War of Mountain and River Under construction The Second and Third War The Second War Under construction The Plague of Lordaeron Under construction The Scarlet Crusade Under construction Occupation Under construction Current Events Under construction Sworn Vassals - Current and Former House of Currington House head: Lord Dervon Currington Seat: Barony of Blackvale Hereditary Title: Warden of the Northern Vale Baron of Blackvale Strength: About Five Hundred Fifty (~550) Mix of Humans, Elves, and Dwarves About Two hundred (~200) Men-at-Arms About One hundred (~100) Knights About Two hundred fifty (~250) Longbowmen Brief History Before the House of Andro was established, the House of Currington used to be an independent House sworn directly to the House of Menethil. Blackvale has always been the seat for the House of Currington, where it started from a small village and grown into the powerful Barons that they were before they swore to the House of Andro. The Curringtons initially fought a guerilla war against the House of Andro before swearing to them after being deciding that the House of Andro was going to be a strong House. Once swearing, they become the most powerful and loyal vassals that the House of Andro had, holding the Northern Vale against any enemy that came their way. Blackvale was the only vale that did not fall to a Forsaken siord Dervon Curringege in Ravenwood, and only abandoned it at the behest of their Lord, Alexander Andro, during the Third War. They retreated to their Stormgarde allies, to which they fought with for a number of years. While initially their strength was sapped, Lord Dervon Currington increased the strength of their forces by recruiting new soldiers, including Dwarves and Elves, and increasing his strength until his Lord called. The Curringtons participated in the retaking of Ravenwood, which his forces were the left wing of the Battle of Aelrid's Stand. The House of Currington is now back in power in Blackvale, defending the northern portion of the County of Ravenwood, having the most experienced men under his command. House of Solarus House head: Lord Ryorith Solarus Seat: Barony of Woodsdale. Hereditary Title: Warden of the Western Vale Baron of Woodsdale Strength: About Two Hundred Fifty (~250) Mix of Elves and Humans About Seventy-five (~75) Men-at-Arms About Twenty-Five (~25) Blood Knights About Twenty-Five (~25) Knights About Thirty-Five (~35) Mages About Ninety (~90) Rangers Brief History The House of Solarus were the long-time Lords of the Barony of Solarii, which was a fief in Quel'thalas. The Solarus' served Quel'thalas for a very long time before coming into a trading Alliance with the House of Andro. They were one of the few Houses of Quel'thalas to survive the invasion of the Scourge, and stayed in Quel'thalas when Kael'thas gathered the Blood Elves and went into the Outlands. The current patriarch, Ryorith Solarus, has had fleeting loyalty to Quel'thalas ever since the Blood Elves joined the Horde. Initally swearing to follow the Regent-Lord, he never came when called and instead began to gather his strength and prepare to leave his lands with his all of his strength and join the Alliance at the first possible chance. That chance came when Lord Throstan Andro sent him a letter informing him of his plan to retake Ravenwood. The House of Solarus were instrumental at the taking of Ravenwood, as they were part of the garrison of each fief, to which they betrayed the Forsaken and opened the gates to both Woodsdale and Blackvale. For this reason, Throstan Andro made the House of Solarus the Barons of Woodsdale in place of the extinct House of Ceyne. The House of Bellorum House head: Lady Mareleth Bellorum Seat: Barony of Light's Crossing. Hereditary Title: Warden of the Seas Baron of Light's Crossing Strength: About One Hundred Fifty (~150) About Seventy-Five(~75) Men-at-Arms About Twenty-Five (~25) Knights About Fifty (~50) Longbowmen Brief History The House of Bellorum came into power in the County of Ravenwood when Dame Mareleth Bellorum swore herself to Queen Madelynne Albrecht I, and having no fief to govern. She swore herself to Throstan Andro, and for her friendship to the Lord, was given the fief of Light's Crossing. The House of Bellorum currently has the Knightly House of Fleetwood under their command. House of Borrell House head: Lord Derion Borrell Seat: Barony of Riftvale Hereditary Title: Baron of Riftvale Strength: About Five Hundred (~500) About Two Hundred Fifty (~250) Men-at-Arms About One Hundred Fifty (~150) Knights About One Hundred (~100) Longbowmen Brief History The House of Borrell, at one point, were independent Barons sworn to the House of Menethil. Known as a House of little honor, they were not powerful nor were they particularly rich. Each Borrell was said to have darkness in his heart and would often come late to battles in order to see which side would be most likely to win before joining them. The House of Borrell's fief of Riftvale managed to survive the Scourging of Lordaeron by not sending any troops to aid other Houses of Lordaeron, and immediately swore allegiance to the most powerful faction in Lordaeron after the fall. When the Scarlet Crusade began to fall and the Argent Crusade began to rise, they switched their allegiance, purging the previous occupier of their fief. The House of Borrell's third son, a Knight by the name of Aelrid Borrell, distinguished himself during the Scarlet Crusade. Leading various other knights into battle, he became known the Gryphon of Lordaeron. Hoping to bring honor to his House, he fought bravely, holding the line against the odds multiple times in order to serve innumerable others. They became sworn to the House of Andro and have been semi-loyal vassals. They participated in the Battle of Aelrid's Stand, which came to the ultimate rescue of the Andro forces at the ending of the battle. Sir Aelrid Borrell was the Marshal of Ravenwood at the time, and leader ofthe Magnificent Seven, but unfortunately died heroically upon the battlefield. The House of Borrell is the only vassal of the House of Andro not in the County of Ravenwood. House of Ceyne (Defunct) History The House of Ceyne were the previous Barons of Woodsdale. During the time where the House of Andro began to grow, they were just barely half as powerful as the former Barons of Ravenwood. They were easily forced to bend the knee to the House of Andro. The House of Ceyne swore to the House of Andro just before the House of Atkinson, being the first noble House to do such. Their words were 'Loyalty Unto Death', to which every member of House Ceyne lived by. One quirk of the House of Ceyne is that they had, at most, three knights under their command and they were directly put into the Lord's guard. Their retinue, otherwise, was mostly made up of Men-at-Arms and Longbowmen. After the fall of Lordaeron, the House of Ceyne was ordered to put everything they had, all resources and troops into the Scarlet Crusade, by order of Lord Alekander Andro. They held true to their words, their dedication and loyalty to the House of Andro becoming their downfall; every son and daughter of the House of Ceyne died during the Scarlet Crusade. What was left of their forces was led by Sir Branor Heward to swear to the House of Andro. House of Atkinson (Defunct) History The House of Atkinson once ruled the Port Barony of Light's Crossing, to which they mainly made their wealth by trade and fishing. At the time of the rise of the House of Andro, they had the same amount of strength as that of the House of Ceyne. They were the second House to swear to the House of Andro -- they did not hesitate when the House of Andro gained power, thus lost no troops or caused any damage in a border war. The House of Atkinson loathed their new overlords, aspiring to much more power. They never had the chance, due to the fact that the House of Andro became the Counts of Ravenwood. They stayed loyal until the fall of Lordaeron. Seeing their chance in a weakened state, and worried they might be forced into extinction like the House of Ceyne, they rebelled against the House of Andro. The rebellion lasted one full year, and took place on the fields of the Arathi Highlands. The House of Currington and the House of Havenport fought the majority of this war, to which they put every member of the House of Currington to the sword, with the exception of one young son, which has eluded the House of Andro for many years. Rumor has it that this young son has been gathering strength in order to return to Ravenwood and take their rightful place. Strength Pre-Plague of Lordaeron The pinnacle of the House of Andro's strength was just before the Second War. When the Orcs came to ravage Lordaeron, the House of Andro called its banners and took its small army to help face the Orcs. The small army would've numbered in the 4,000 - 5,000 soldier range, with all the vassals raised. This army would have been split up: 10% Knights 50-60% Men-at-arms 35-45% Longbowmen 5% Other Current Current strength is much more limited. Just for men under the control of Throstan Andro, without calling his banners: Mikhal's Retinue One-hundred fifty men: Eighty (80) Men-at-Arms Fifty (50) Longbowmen Twenty (20) Rangers Sir Thomas Canmore's Retinue One hundred twenty-five men: Seventy-Five (75) Men-at-Arms Twenty-Five (25) Knights Twenty-Five (25) Longbowmen Other One hundred men: Sixty (60) Men-at-Arms Ten (10) Knights Fifty (50) Longbowmen Thirty-Five (35) Rangers Twenty (20) Others Category:House of Andro Andro Category:Houses, Clans and Tribes